What are the principles and methods of corporate time management?

The management of working time in companies is a major challenge for business leaders and their employees. This situation is justified by the search for a match between working hours and the time required to carry out missions and achieve objectives.

Good time and priority management improves employee productivity and reduces stressors.

However, this aspect of corporate life is based on certain principles and is applied according to well-defined methods. This article explains the different principles and methods of corporate time management.

The principles of corporate time management

There are multiple principles governing the management of working time in companies. These principles are based on the organization of the team, the distribution of tasks and the implementation of innovative methods and practices.

Clear determination of objectives

Not clearly defining the objectives to be achieved is a real obstacle to the proper management of working time in companies. That said, these objectives must be defined in the short, medium and long term:

• Short-term goals can take into account the tasks of the day;
• Medium-term objectives generally consist of missions to be carried out over one or more weeks;
• Long-term objectives represent missions or files to be closed over one or more months.

By dividing activities according to the different objectives, employees will be able to perform concrete tasks and achieve the expected results.

Evaluation of tasks by priority level

It is essential to assess the level of priority of tasks to improve the management of working time in companies. Indeed, some tasks are more important than others and should be classified by priority and degree of urgency of implementation.

This allows employees to have a clear idea of the most important missions and activities.

Task scheduling

After assessing the priority level of each task, it will be necessary to plan for them. Each employee must have a clear and precise schedule, summarizing the tasks they must perform.

For example, it would be useful to assign a color to a task according to its priority level. In addition, it is recommended to organize working days according to the duration set for the achievement of objectives.

Evaluation of the duration of each task

For a good corporate time management, it is essential to respect a precise professional schedule. It is for this reason that it is necessary to set a time for the completion of each task.

Defining the time required to complete a task increases employee productivity since they will be limiteds by a time constraint.

Completing tasks one after the other

Contrary to what one might think, embarking on the simultaneous completion of several tasks is highly detrimental to productivity. Each task should be performed according to its duration and priority level. By doing so, there is less risk of work overload and stress.

The quality of life at work is thus improved and reduces turnover in the company.

Corporate time management methods

There is more than one method of managing working time in companies. The implementation of these methods is based on extensive research and employee opinions testify to their effectiveness.

The Pomodoro method

This method of corporate time management is one of the most used. Its objective is to promote the productivity of employees by helping them to concentrate as much as possible on their tasks. The Pomodoro method requires the use of a timer and is very easy to apply.

Making use of this method in companies consists of splitting employees’ working time into several 25-minute sessions. After each session, they take a 5-minute break.

After the 4th 25-minute session, a 20-30 minute break should be teken before starting work again.

The Pomodoro method emphasizes the importance of rest in employee productivity. This is also a method widely used by freelance workers because it also avoids procrastination, which is a main problem of teleworking.

The Eisenhower Matrix

This method is based on the prioritization and effective planning of tasks. The Eisenhower matrix classifies tasks as follows:

• Urgent and important tasks come first;
• Non-urgent activities related to company projects or objectives must be planned for the medium or long term;
• Urgent and minor tasks must be delegated.

By adopting the Eisenhower matrix, the company’s employees will feel less under pressure and enjoy working. The company’s image will therefore certainly be improved.

The NERAC method

The NERAC method (Note, Estimate, Reserve, Arbitrate and Control) is based on a simple planning of the company’s activities. Concretely, it consists of:

• Note all the tasks to be carried out without taking into account their organization;
• Estimate the time required to complete each task;
• Reserve a slot for the unexpected;
• Arbitrate the order of tasks according to their urgency and importance;
• Empower people who can supervise projects;
• Control the effectiveness of the method and adapt the organization according to the comments made.

The GTD method

Although it is effective, the GTD method is quite difficult to apply in the long term. Its purpose is to help the one who applies it to focus on one task at a time. It takes place in five stages:

• Collect the different tasks, projects and objectives in an input folder;
• Determine the precise nature of each task;
• Define the actions to be performed in priority;
• Regularly update the list of tasks and projects;
• Perform the various tasks related to each project.

The 20-80 method or Pareto’s law

This method of managing working time in companies is one of the most popular. The goal of Pareto’s law is to determine the company’s predominant tools and goals.

Choosing this method to manage your time in business means focusing on high value-added tasks and delegating unimportant and non-urgent tasks.

The to-do list

This is a basic method of managing working time in companies. It consists of drawing up a list of the different tasks to be performed without overloading it. Then, you will need to assign a priority level for each task.

Finally, they must be classified by prioritizing them. After completing each activity, it must be crossed off the list. This allows employees to follow the progress of their work.

The employee can also take a break after performing each task on the list.

The tools of corporate time management

To achieve an optimal level of productivity, it is important to monitor the effectiveness of the method used. Several tools can be used to carry out this monitoring.

Although it is possible to use the old methods such as the sheet of paper, the pen, the timer or the calendar, these means are usually obsolete or unable to really follow the evolution of the work.

Digital tools can have several uses. Depending on the nature of the software or web application, it may allow to:

• Centralize all tasks on a single support;
• Gain access to information on any medium;
• Share experiences with other employees;
• Save time, etc.

In addition, said management software is particularly effective in cases of implementation of teleworking in companies. There are four types of corporate time management tools in companies:

• Tools for efficiency and concentration support;
• Work organization tools;
• Action listing tools;
• Sharing tools.

Each software has specific attributions.

Tools for efficiency and concentration

These tools help to be more efficient by helping their users stay focused while performing tasks. They block distractions and isolate procrastination triggers. Here are some tools for efficiency and help concentration:

• Stayfocusd;
• Leech Block;
• Mindful Browsing, etc.

Action listing tools

These are very useful since they allow you to have a clear vision of all the tasks to be accomplished during the day as well as their level of execution. As stock listing tools, we have:

• MindMeister;
• Dashlane;
• Collabtive;
• Projector;
• Freedcamp;
• Bambom;
• Chilliproject, etc.

Organization tools

Organization tools make it possible to centralize data and optimize the content of the work to be done. As organizational tools or platforms, we have:

• Trello;
• Monday.com;
• Teamwork;
• Favro;
• Asana;
• Wrike;
• Hubspot, etc.

Sharing tools

Their role is to promote communication among the company’s employees. This allows them to share the content of their work with their team members. Here are some sharing tools:

• Moreganize;
• Slack;
• Google Calendar;
• Trello.

The various tools and methods mentioned above should help to improve the management of working time in companies.

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